Laura Lewis, a kindergarten/first-grade teaching assistant hands out pencils and stickers to Red Cedar walkers Nathan Hoyt, Alexander Byers, Jaden Jerue and Abigail Hoyt Wednesday morning for International Walk to School Day. For walking to school, students were also eligible to win backpacks and water bottles.

Abigail Justice, 5, was eager to get to school Wednesday morning, but Maggie, 11, was close on her heels.

The problem is Maggie can't go to school - at least not Red Cedar Elementary School.

"She needs some schooling," said Sherry Justice of the family dog. Justice and Maggie accompanied Abigail and her sister, Madison, 8, on International Walk to School Day.

"It was cute. I liked it," Justice said. "It was a good way to spend time with them. Moms need to slow down a bit."

Teaching Assistant Laura Lewis was one of several staff members greeting students and waving cars into the parking lot.

"This is my favorite part of the day," Lewis said. "I love saying 'good morning' and getting them off to a good start."

She was also handing stickers to those walking on this special occasion, at least until her roll was empty.

"They wiped me out," she said. Staff gave out 225 pencils to that many walkers - a huge turnout for Red Cedar's second year celebrating the event. On an average day, about 40 students walk, said physical education teacher Emily Gray.

She said the school was participating in International Walk to School Day for several reasons.

"We really try to promote being active. We're a healthy school and a lot of kids live very, very close, so it's not a hard thing," Gray said. "And we liked the idea of the event where children all over the world are walking to school on the same day."

Once the children arrived in their classrooms, their homeroom teachers were to note those with stickers and email the list to Gray.

Those names would then be entered into a drawing to receive big book bags or water bottles, provided by the National Center for Safe Routes to School.

While it's true that Red Cedar students joined students walking to school across South Carolina, America and the world on Wednesday, they also joined students across town, where Bluffton Elementary School celebrated International Walk to School day in walking, biking and scootering-style.

But then, that's just the way they roll.

Micaelann Gies, 7, thinks zooming to school on her scooter while wearing her pink helmet is hands-down the best way to get there.

"We try to do it as often as possible, but with the two kids sometimes it's hard to get everybody motivated in the morning," said Tracy Gies, pushing 3-year-old Mikayla in a stroller.

Macaelann is one of 11 students at Bluffton Elementary's Early Childhood Center who self-power themselves to or from school.

"It's more fun than driving to school," she said. "I like to walk because it gets you more exercise."

Jack Berwald, one of three crossing guards who help students cross safely to the Bluffton Schools complex, estimates that most days between 40 to 50 Bluffton Elementary School students and about 30 to 40 middle school students walk, bike or scooter home. In the mornings, Berwald said, the guards cross about 15 middle school students and then about 20 elementary students into the Bluffton Schools Complex.

Heidi Toon guesses she helps dismiss close to 125 pedestrians each day from Bluffton Elementary and 25 to 30 on bikes or scooters.

"We're too busy to count," Berwarld admitted.

Crossing guard Dennis Becker, who helps students across Buckwalter Parkway from The Farm, said he's had to work to engage early-bird middle and high school students in conversation. (Classes begin at 7:30 a.m. at H.E. McCracken Middle School and 7:45 a.m. at Bluffton High School.)

"At first I'd say 'Good morning' and they'd look at me like I was insane," he said. Now, he said, about 90 percent of students engage in conversation, and most are very nice.

"They give me confidence in the upcoming generation," he said.

One time, a group of elementary school students handed him a snail on the walk to school, saying "Would you give that back to me in the afternoon?" Becker said.

"I gave it back to them in the afternoon and they said, 'That was a just test, just to see if you'd do it.'"

Walkers Wednesday could see their breath, and some wore gloves or wished they had.

"It's freezing out," said fifth-grader Brandon Edinger.

The students chatted about a new speed stacker club, the frost on the grass, the weight of their book bags, upcoming tests, whether they'd receive stickers and pencils for their efforts, and other kid stuff.

"Last night my dad sneezed and flung water everywhere," said one walker.

Walk to school events are organized to create safer routes for walking and bicycling, and to emphasize the importance of increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and communities.

"It's much better than riding the bus," said Chelsie Lake, 12. "We get to talk to our friends. It's fun walking to school - especially the crossing guard. He's funny."

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I am somewhat skeptical of the benefits of walking to school. OK, they need physical activity, but a playground or gym is a much safer place to get exercise.

All of the photos were taken in ideal weather. How about those cold rainy days or thunderstorms with lightning popping close by? No use to mention the opportunity for child abusers or the possibility of being hit by a car..

OK those are the negatives or risks, but is the exercise worth the risk? Depends on parent's point of view. I guess the worriers like me would drive the kids to school and let them use my exercise machine.

Times are different, but growing up, we had chores to do and playtime in our large yard with improvised play stuff. Like a couple of 55 gallon steel drums to roll around or try to stand on like a logger, swings in a tree, a stick for a bat and a rag tied with string for a ball and bicycles on dirt roads. Or swimming in a creek, rowing a boat and shrimping.

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